CEO Blog

As we age, we gain momentum in our professional lives — becoming better and more efficient at what we do. Knowing who to call and when to ask for help means we can get results faster. Simply put, we learn to focus on “what works” to drive our success whether in research, clinical practice or education.

GSA has adopted that mantra to focus on improving adult immunization rates, which was on full display November 7 at the GSA-sponsored Capitol Hill briefing, ”Adult Immunization: Successful Programs Leading the Way to Higher Rates.” In a room filled with representatives from stakeholder organizations, policy-makers, and congressional staff, three immunization champions showcased how they are taking charge inside their organizations to dramatically improve immunization rates across the life-course.

The pursuit of a treatment and cure for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is a top priority for researchers in the U.S. As a society, we have overcome other major challenges by creatively applying our resources in a sustained manner, and we’ll do so in this case thanks to our collective ingenuity.

This same passion for innovation was on display last week at the landmark National Research Summit on Care, Services and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers. The research and practice insights presented show that we are up to the challenge of ensuring the millions of individuals living with dementia and their caregivers receive the care, services and supports needed to navigate this disease.

It’s almost time for National Family Caregivers Month in November, and GSA is already getting a head start on some major activities in this arena.

On October 16 and 17, we’re helping to support the National Research Summit on Care, Services, and Supports for Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers, which is being held at the headquarters of the National Institutes of Health. The event is being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and several private sector organizations, and I’m proud to say that GSA Fellows Katie Maslow and Laura Gitlin are serving as co-chairs. (And let’s congratulate Laura on being recently being named chair of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act’s Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services!)

The final numbers for the IAGG 2017 World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics are in, and they are impressive. GSA welcomed more than 6,000 participants to San Francisco, hailing from 80 countries. Serving as the host society for the World Congress provided a wonderful opportunity for GSA to further solidify its role as a connector, convener, and collaborator across the broad spectrum of stakeholders in the aging arena — on a national and international stage.

GSA has never been stronger and we are taking steps to ensure we remain vital in a dynamic environment. The next major milestone the Society will be building toward is our 75th anniversary in 2020. As we look to the future, GSA will continue to explore new ways to enhance the benefits we provide to all members, and evaluate opportunities for strengthening the Society for the next 75 years.

While it won’t bring immediate aid or comfort to the millions of Americans impacted by Hurricane Maria, the Senate Special Committee on Aging is aware of the need to improve policies to help older adults in times of disaster.

On September 20 — the day that Hurricane Maria, a powerful Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in Puerto Rico — the committee convened a hearing to learn from experts about the options available for helping older adults cope in times of natural disasters.

The widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Irma, following closely on the heels of Hurricane Harvey, again reminds us of the necessity of planning for natural disasters. The extraordinary planning and evacuation efforts by professionals and individuals across Florida helped to reduce the loss of life from Irma. Millions of people have been impacted, including hundreds of GSA members across the region. Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected as they begin the long process of rebuilding. (The American Red Cross continues to accept donations to help those affected.)

The horrifying images of the continuing destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey are a reminder of the power of nature and the importance of planning for natural disasters. Millions of people are being impacted, including GSA members in the region. Our thoughts are with all affected. GSA has placed a link for the American Red Cross at the top of our homepage to make it easy for you to provide support if you wish.

Think of an older adult that you know who has diabetes, lung disease, or heart disease. In the midst of managing medication, diet, exercise, and stress, it’s hard to imagine adding one more thing to the checklist required to maintain their health. But for older adults with chronic conditions, vaccines are critical.

Throughout National Immunization Awareness Month in August, we celebrate successes and highlight challenges with immunizing the U.S. population. GSA has chosen to focus on older adults with chronic conditions in particular, due to the serious complications that vaccine-preventable diseases present, including long-term illness, hospitalization, and even death.

GSA cemented its position as a leading convener and connector of international researchers, clinicians, and educators by serving as host of the IAGG 2017 World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics in San Francisco last month. As the sole U.S.-based member of IAGG, GSA was tapped to implement this quadrennial gathering that some have dubbed the “Olympics” of our field. More than 6,000 individuals from 80 countries participated in the World Congress, making it the largest ever. As GSA is already an international organization — with about 18 percent of our multi-disciplinary members based outside the U.S. — serving as host for this event was a natural extension of our well-established role.

When Medicare was introduced more than 50 years ago, several major aspects of older adult health care were not included in the coverage provided — including vision health, oral health and hearing health. In the case of eye health, the marketplace has provided older adults with access to widely available and affordable options. With oral health and hearing health, much remains to be done.

It’s exciting to see movement here in Washington to address the latter issue, with an important bill regarding the regulation of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids making its way through the legislative process in a bipartisan manner.